SHREWSBURY, MA -- For the first time in program history, the Buccaneers competed in a grand final at the New England Rowing Championships on Saturday on Lake Quinsigamond. 

Maritime's women's rowing team has always performed well on Lake Quinsigamond and in the NE Rowing Championships. This year was a little different for the Bucs. Under first-year head coach Tessa Shade, the team went in to Shrewsbury and performed better than ever.

In the women's varsity fours grand final, the Buccaneers finished fifth with a time of 8:18.227, ahead of the boats from Simmons and UMass Lowell. Though they finished 12 seconds behind the fourth place boat from Merrimack, it was the team's best finish in recent history at the event.

Over all, the team picked up 15 points in the standings, finishing ahead of Mount Holyoke, UNH, Simmons, UMass Lowell, Wentworth, and Franklin Pierce.